Former Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail was arrested by law enforcers in Metro Manila yesterday, four years after he and 21 others were tagged in the kidnap-slay of Eleuterio Salabas and his two companions.

National Bureau of Investigation Bacolod chief Mamerto Cortez said that Dongail was apprehended by members of the bureau's Special Task Force while strolling alone at Robinson's in Ermita around noon yesterday.

Dongail, who was wearing a striped shirt and denim pants, was unarmed and did not resist arrest, Cortez told the DAILY STAR by telephone last night.

“A ‘spotter' saw him and tipped off the other agents,” he said.

Cortez said that he had personally talked with the former police officer while he was being booked at the NBI office but Dongail, who was formerly the station commander of Police Station 2, did not comment on the charge against him.

In a television interview, on the other hand, NBI agent Arnel Dalumpines said that the sting was a result of a long surveillance on Dongail and the other suspects in the kidnapping and killing of Salabas, his nephew, Maximo Lomoljo, and maritime instructor Ricardo Suganob, in August 2003.

Salabas was a barangay captain of Pahanocoy in Bacolod City .

Salabas' wife, Elizabeth, said that she is glad about Dongail's arrest but added that she is not condemning him and the other suspects involved in the death of her husband.

“I'm glad. This will give him a chance to air his side of the story,” Elizabeth said.

She said her faith in the due process has been renewed with the development.

“Although it is taking a long time and despite the many interventions, I still trust our justice system,” she added.

Bacolod City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, on the other hand, said that Dongail's apprehension was just a normal exercise of procedure.

“It's just part of the process. If we spotted him here (in Bacolod ), we would also have served the warrant to him,” Quebrar said.

He also said that Dongail's arrest proves that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with suspects tagged in any crime.

“They cannot escape all the time. Their deadline will come,” Quebrar said.

Twelve ex-police officers, including former BCPO chiefs George Bajelot and Vicente Ponteras are still the subject of a nationwide manhunt for the charge for kidnapping with murder against them

Recently, the Office of the President had issued a directive, ordering the provincial prosecutor of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental to conduct a re-investigation of the case but the Guihulngan Regional Trial Court has not yet recalled the arrest warrants against them.

Other accused former police officers are Inspector Jonathan Lorilla, Bonifer Gotas, SPO2 Freddie Natividad, SPO4 Jimmy Fortaleza, SPO1 Nelson Grijaldo, PO2's Allen Winston Hulleza, Nelson Belandres, Ruel Villacanas, and PO1 Bernardo Cimatu.

Businessman Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herera, Carlo de los Santos alias “Caloy”, Mamerto, Elma, and Nelson, all surnamed Cañete, Jude Montilla, and Ramonito Estanislao, who are also at large, are also included in the charges.*PP

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